Disk harrow.



F. ii. LATHROP.

DISK HARROW.

APPLICATION FILED JULY who.

F. K. LATHROP.

DISK HARROW. I APPLICATION FILED JULY 6,1910. 1,()36 652 Patented Aug.27,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

in van for a ay/a 4% Mn w wbw eflt'iarnqg l merit will also be hereinafter particularly pointed out and claimed.

J-s'ents difiic an;

ing-the two setsof gangs in line-while trav- *in turning corners.

uniTEn SrATnsrAT-nrir UFFIQEg rnaiviz' K. LATHBOP, or DAYTON, onrogassienon ro THEQHIQ connexion narrow, fonio, va CORPORATION *or' on o.

. Specification of l 'ietter s fatenta Patgntgd AugQQ-Y, 1912},

.Applicatioiz filed my 6, m c. .Serial No. 570,664.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it' known that'I, FRANK'K. LA'iniior, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Dayton, in the county of .Montgomery and State of Ohio, have in.-

gangs of rotary disks or cutters arranged one in frontof the other, and in which the round or cut disks of each gang are usually turned in opposite directions so that the 'rear set will level ofi and thoroughly pulverize the ground thrown up by the forward set and the ground thus eifectivelytreated in one operation. Heretofore in such constructions the frames carrying the two gangs of disks have either been rigidly'connected together to' fornia single rigid frame or the frames for the two gangs have been sepagate and merelypoupled together in tandem, by-afcentral'coi'lpling bar. In the former c'ase-ythe rigidity of; the single frame preturning corners, while. in the latter diflicnltyis experienced inkeepersingi thefield'. itto obviate both of theseobjections' that my invention is dip. j'rected, and the invention consists of that ovel construction of frame and arrangeiii'ent of "parts whereby suflicient rigidity is maintained in the support of the sets of gangs to avoid the latter objection, at the same time that suflicient flexibility of frame is provided to avoid the trouble experienced Other'features of novelty and arrange- .In the drawings, Figiire 1 is a perspective view of my improved harrow. Fig. 2 IS a top plan view of one of the rear gangs of disks. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the two sets of rear gangs of disks. Fig. 4 is a detail side view of the coupling block for supporting and connecting the inner end of each rear gang to the adjusting lever. Fig.

5 is a 'perspect-iveview of the harrow in which cut disks are employed, illustrat ng frame. M The main frame for the two sets of gangs is comprised of a front-cross. frame 1, 1. of

" a modified brace construction'for the main two flat parallel 'barsin the same vertical plane, a single rear crossbar 2, arranged on. edge and given a quarter turn at the ends to form flat horizontal portions for convenient attachmentto the similarly twisted side bars 3,. 4, of themain frame,

- These side bars are pivoted the rear cross bar by the vertical bolts 24 and are disposed on edge and bent downwardly-at their forward ends 50, 50,andpivotally secured of vertical play for the rear of the 'rame to the angleplates -52',-on the'upper cross I to allow for any vertical movement of the two sets of gangs with reference to each other,'and in which by the pivotal connection at the rear corners allows a lateral horizontal movement for the rear of the,

frame within the bending limits of the side I barsand the yielding ofthe cross braces and springs to be hereinafter described.

each side of this tongue is pivotally mounted a hand lever 7, 8, provided with the usual notched segments 9 and the hand latches 10, for locking the levers and the disk gangs in any desired'angular position to the line of draft. 3

The disk gangs are arranged in two sets, two gangs A, B, in front and two gangs C, D, in the rear, 'one gang of each set on one side of the line of draft, and the other gang on the other side of the line of draft, and with the disks orcut-ters turned in opposite directionsso that the rear gangs will throw the dirt in a direction opposite to the'throw T i ion I and sleeves drawn together and held by a nut-1.6;

Each of the'front gangs is secured by hangers .-or straps 17 to a separate gang frame 18 in the usual way and each of these gangs is suspended and supported from the mam frame by a hanger 19 to which the- -gang .is pivotally. secured by coupling 54 so as to .swing in a horizontal plane. The inner. ends of each of these two front gangs are separately connected by the connecting bars20 to the lower endsof their respective adjusting levers 7, 8,'byxthe swivel connection .53 whereby upon s 'fting-the lever the proper angle to. the line of draft be given to thegang in the usual way. 9.011 of the near gangs is also mounted in a separate gangframe made. up ,of two parallel bars 21, preferably integrally'con- Qnectedat the inner endsby the curved transverse portion 22,-ancl each gang is supported from its gang frame by hangers '23 in which i the gang shaft'is properly journaled. I The gang frames 21 are pivotally secured. tothe main frame. to swingin a horizontal pl'ane' about midway of their length by the same? bolts 24 which pivotallyconnect together.- the rear cross bar 2 with the side bars 3, 4, and the inner ends of thesetwo gangs are' held in-ahorizontal planeand adapted to be adjusted .angularly to the line of draft bythe coupling blocks 25, 25.

. One coupling block is provided for each gang and it consists. of a rectangularloopi ii'ndan opening 27 of a :height to loosely embrace-the-transverse crossbar 2 of the. .40 "mamiframe and .to allow free niovement back forth of the loop on the cross bar. The base. o'fgthis loop or' coupling block is provided with a horizontal slot. .28 formed integrallyor by means of a strap, and into this slot 28 the inner end of the gang frame 22 is inserted andpivotally securedtherein bya pivot pin 29. Each" loop is connect- .ed by its connecting bar 30 to its respective adjusting lever 7, 8,:so that the gangs may be properlyadjusted'at the desired angle to the line of draft for the varying condltions of so'il and these connecting bars are prefer ably' made in sections hooked together by the hooks 31. As the disks of the front gang are set; in; opposite direction to the disks of the rear gang, the desired angular adjustment of the front and'rea-r gangs will be in opposite directions so that the connecting bars 30 for the rear gangs are pivotally mounted to the levers 7, 8, above-the pivots of the levers to the tongue and the connecting bars 20 for the front gs are mounted at the lower ends of these levers below the tongue pivots.

In order to provide for sufiicient rectangular rigidity of the main frame when the harrow is in use to maintain the alinement of the disk gangs, and at the same time to provide sufficient lateral flexibility for the frame to permit turns to be made and thus to obtain the benefits both of the rigid frame structure for both sets of gangs and the loosely coupled tandem construe ion, heavy coiled springs 37 are attached between the rear cross bar and each side bar 3, 4, as shown in Fig. 2, which springs exert a force to maintain the rectangular shape ofthe main frame andto keep the two rear gangs central with the front gang's when going forward on a straight line. These coiled springs, however, are not always necessary, and with the construction of side bars illustrated, in which the side bars are bent downwardly at their forward ends. ordinary stifi braces 38, 38 may be substituted ,for the coiled springs, in which event the side bars themselves are sufiiciently fiexibleto allow for the lateral movement of the frame in turning corners. 7

.It will be evident that when it is desired to use the front harrow alone, the rear harrow can bereadily and easily removed by disconnecting the side bars 3, 4, in front and separating the lever bars 30.

' The front gang frames are preferably pro vided with weight pans asshown, for welghing-down the front gangs and of course when desired, similar weight pans can be provided for the rear gangs.

The usual drivers seat 34 is provided, supported by a standard 35 bolted on the rear endof the tongue and suitably braced by ther0d36.

As illustrated the harrow is provided with either round disks, or cut disks, and for many varieties ofsoil the cut disks are preferable owing to their spading action.

Having thus described my invention, .what I claim as new and desire-to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a disk harrow, the combination with front and. rear gang frames, of a main frame, to which the gang frames are piv otally secured, said main frame comprising a front and a rear transverse bar with side bars adapted to flex in a horizontal plane, whereby the main frame will flex laterally under side strains in turning corners without affectin the rigidity of the'main frame during the orward progress ofthe machine.

2. In a disk harrow, the combination with front and rear gangframes, of a main harrow, to which the gang frames are pivotally secured, said main frame-comprising a front and a rear transverse bar with side bars adapted to flex in a horizontal plane, with coiled springs intermediate the rear portion of the side bars and therear crossbar, where- .bythe mainframe will flex laterally under side strains turning corners and at the same time the rigidity of the main frame during the forward progress of the machine will be maintained.

3. In a disk harrow, the combination with 5 front and rear gang frames, of a main frame,

to which the gang frames are pivotally secured, said main frame comprising a front and a rear transverse bar with side bars adapted to flex in a horizontal plane, loops mounted loosely on the rear cross bar and H pivotal connectionyfor said loops, with the inner ends of said rear gang frames, with adjusting levers and connecting bars to said loops whereby the rear gang frames will be held in horizontal position and at the same time angularly adjusted.

4. In a disk harrow, the combination with front and rear gang frames, of a main frame, to which the gang frames are piv: otally secured, said main frame comprising a flexible framework of side and front and rear cross bars with loops mounted oosely on the rear cross bar and pivotal connection for said loops with the inner ends of said rear gang frames, with adjusting levers and connecting bars to said loops, whereby the rear gang frames will be held in horizontal position and at the same time angularly adjusted.

5. In a disk harrow, the combination with front and rear gang frames, of a main frame, to which the gang frames are pivotally secured, said main frame comprising a front and a rear transverse bar with side bars adaptedto flex in a horizontal plane, with removable bolts for securing the same to the front cross bar whereby the removal of the bolts will detach the rear gangs from the harrow and convert the harrow into a single machine.

FRANK K. LATHROP.

Attest:

'W. H. H. EcKI, J. B. HORSTMAN. 

